JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE CONTACT.

The Journal of Language Contact has as its subhead “Evolution of languages, contact and discourse” and as its motto the excellent quote (from Hugo Schuchardt, specialist in mixed languages, pidgins, creoles, and lingua franca) “Es gibt keine völlig ungemischte Sprache” (‘There is no completely unmixed language’):

We wish JLC to focus on the study of language use and language change in accordance with a view of language contact whereby both, empirical data (the precise description of languages and how they are used) and the resulting theoretical elaborations (hence the statement and analysis of new problems) become the primary engines for advancing our understanding of the nature of language. This will also involve associating linguistic, anthropological, historical, and cognitive factors. We believe that such an approach would make a major new contribution to understanding language change at a time when there is a notable increase of interest and activity in this field.

Give ‘em a chance. Language contact is a huge subject, and hasn’t had enough attention, apart from pre-conceived ideas about who influenced who – the incomers or the residents?
Eff the access problems – that is almost certianly due to whatever software they used to set up the website. If they used Microsoft Front Page, then they’re doomed.
Hopefully (which I know isn’t correct) we’ll get some useful stuff from this journal.
I could do with it – I’m wrestling with opinions about who gave what to who along the New Guinea coast.
regards
Richard

Bulbul, if the singular antecedent is clearly male, as “Paul” can be assumed to be, an anti-prescriptivist can say “Burn him!”. Only in ambiguous cases is it required that they say “Burn them!”
The Anti-Prescriptivist Academy ruled on this some time ago, and I’m surprised and disappointed that you, of all people, failed to keep yourself up to date on this important question.

Bulbul, if the singular antecedent is clearly male, as “Paul” can be assumed to be, an anti-prescriptivist can say “Burn him!”. Only in ambiguous cases is it required that they say “Burn them!”
The Anti-Prescriptivist Academy ruled on this some time ago, and I’m surprised and disappointed that you, of all people, failed to keep yourself up to date on this important question.

I understood “Burn them!” as “Burn them all! Starting with Paul!”
But even if he’s only referring to Paul it seems okay to me (my idiolect accepts ‘they’ with any human antecedent singular or plural, gender known or unknown). There are some restrictions on this (maybe in the same clause I couldn’t) but here it seems okay.
Perhaps John J Emerson is not quite as up on the precise and unalterable rulings of the academy as they would like us to believe, eh?
(hat, bulbul, quick! more wood!)
Stuart: No.

The Anti-Prescriptivist Academy ruled on this some time ago
Ha! I’ll be in the cold hard ground before I accept the authority of your so-called academy. The Institute for the Applied Counter-Prescriptivism has been quite clear on this issue: any singular human antedecent can be referred to by “they”, even if their sex is clearly stated or can be inferred.
Really, the Academy? It suprises me that a man of your qualities would associate themselves with a bunch of losers like the APA…

And you can support my book habit without even spending money on me by following my Amazon links to do your shopping (if, of course, you like shopping on Amazon); I get a small percentage of every dollar spent while someone is following my referral links, and every month I get a gift certificate that allows me to buy a few books (or, if someone has bought a big-ticket item, even more). You will not only get your purchases, you will get my blessings and a karmic boost!

Favorite rave review, by Teju Cole:
"Evidence that the internet is not as idiotic as it often looks. This site is called Language Hat and it deals with many issues of a linguistic flavor. It's a beacon of attentiveness and crisp thinking, and an excellent substitute for the daily news."

From "commonbeauty"

(Cole's blog circa 2003)

All comments are copyright their original posters. Only messages signed "languagehat" are property of and attributable to languagehat.com. All other messages and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily state or reflect those of languagehat.com. Languagehat.com does not endorse any potential defamatory opinions of readers, and readers should post opinions regarding third parties at their own risk. Languagehat.com reserves the right to alter or delete any questionable material posted on this site.